


you will destroy this world with your good intentions

by President Romana (asoldandtrueasthesky)



Category: Gallifrey (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-06-04 12:04:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6657079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asoldandtrueasthesky/pseuds/President%20Romana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Narvin witnesses the killing of Andred and everything changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	you will destroy this world with your good intentions

The corridors are  _her_ domain. Everything is. Every universe, every reality, all of time and space, every moment of it. She’s the Imperiatrix of Gallifrey and she’s lucid enough to think,  _not this dream again_.

There’s someone up ahead. He’s about to ruin a plan, about to suddenly listen to his conscience, about to prove himself to Leela. She deserves better.

He knows she’s there, waiting in the shadows, hunting her prey, like Leela would. He’s unnerved, shouting titles that no longer belong to him, shouting his name like its number of syllables will buy him time. Then, he freezes, eyes wide, fear replaced by utter confusion. He says her name, but it’s the wrong name.

He screams. There’s blood in the catacombs, she realises dimly, and suddenly there’s a river of blood rushing down the corridor, the current threatening to pull her along with it. _Imperiatrix_. She’s Imperiatrix, it doesn’t matter. None of it matters. Time is hers, every moment of it—

“Madam President?”  

 

*

 

“Madam President?”

Romana jolts awake. The ground beneath her feet is clean of blood, like it should be. She sighs in relief, of course it had been a dream, it had only ever been a dream.

She recovers from the drowsiness quickly, as if she’d already been awake for several microspans. The fact that Narvin was pointing a staser at her certainly helped. “Coordinator? What’s this, a coup? I didn’t think you were the type for High Treason.”

Confusion was coming off Narvin in waves but he didn’t lower the weapon, staring at something by her feet. “Did he attack you?”

Dread fills her and she looks down at the floor, already knowing what she would find there. Andred, still and lifeless on the floor. There was no blood- stasers killed cleanly, burning through organs without ever touching skin- but he was undeniably dead. “Oh.” She says, her voice small and wavering.

“What happened?” demands Narvin.

“I don’t know. I can’t remember.”

He coughs, sounding rather like he was trying not to choke. “You can’t _remember_?”

“That’s what I said.” She says, growing more annoyed with every second. “Are you going to lower that staser anytime soon?”

“Are you going to lower yours?”

She looks down, somehow surprised to see a staser still gripped in her hand. It was warm, like it had been recently fired. She drops it as quickly as if it had been burning her and Narvin lowers his.

An uncomfortable silence settled between them, Narvin wary, Romana shaken, and both deeply confused.

Finally, Romana regards him imperiously, as if she was still adorned in full Presidential regalia, not standing in the middle of the catcombs in her nightdress with figurative blood on her hands. “I think it’s best if we both forget about tonight.”

His reaction is immediate. His body language didn’t betray anything, but she felt him reel in something akin to hurt, like she’d broken an oath she’d never made. “ _Madam President_ , are you telling me to cover this up?”

“There’s nothing to cover up.”

He stares, incredulous. “I found you standing over a man’s corpse with a staser in your hands!”

“Well, maybe he _was_ attacking me.” She says, but as soon as she says it, she knows it’s not true. She feels it in her bones.

“Was he?”

“I told you, I can’t remember!” She glares back at him, chin raised, defiant. “I wouldn’t have attacked him without good reason, would I?”

He hesitates. “This has something to do with that Pandora creature, doesn’t it?”

“No.” she says, and the words feel wrong. “I haven’t accessed the Matrix for spans, she can’t get to me.”

Narvin pauses. “She did something like that to me too, I couldn’t sleep—“

“There’s nothing wrong,  _Coordinator_.”

“Perhaps.” He steps back, either distancing himself from the body, Romana, or both. “I will have to report what I saw.”

For half a micro-span she regrets dropping her weapon. “Why? You hated him! He was a criminal, a Free Time agent.”

“This isn’t about him.”

“It’s about me?” She scowls. “You’re that desperate to get me off the back of the CIA?”

“It’s about Pandora.” He says simply, with no trace of vindictiveness in his tone. “If she’s really in your head, you’re a threat to Gallifrey, whatever your agenda.”

She stiffens, feeling like her whole world is spinning out of control. “I forbid you to tell, Narvin.”

“You forbid me, Madam President? Forgive me, but isn’t that a little outside your jurisdiction?”

“Everything is under my jurisdiction! The CIA answer to  _me_ , Coordinator, don’t forget that. I appointed you, against my better judgement.”

“Are you threatening me?” Narvin asks, withdrawing further, his hand tightening around his staser. “What happened to those morals that you like to grandstand about?”

She breathes, trying to soothe the anger that had suddenly appeared. “I’m telling you to do what’s best for Gallifrey.”

Narvin stares at her for a moment that feels like an eternity. Finally, he nods.

 

*

 

The next time she wakes, she’s exactly where she’s supposed to be, but the relief doesn’t last long.

She can’t pretend last night was simply a nightmare, she’s not quite delusional enough for that, but her memories are hazy and blurred. She can’t quite remember firing the staser, only shadows and voices and screams.

If was somehow all a dream, she’d be concerned at how detailed her mental model of Narvin was getting.

She dresses herself, trying not to feel the guilt. If Narvin was right, she’d killed someone. Not just anyone, Leela’s husband, if only by a technicality. She can already imagine her righteous anger, her declarations of revenge.

Would she still be eager to plunge her knife into the hearts of the killer, if she found out the truth? Would she do it anyway? The promises she’d made on Davidia, the promises she’d broken, run unbidden into her mind. If she did, she might deserve it.

She shrugs on her robes, the heavy weight of them like a physical representation of her responsibilities, and leaves her chambers.  

The moment she steps in to the panopticon, Janartis- a guard she only knows by name because of an accusation of brutality at the Academy- makes a beeline for her.

She knows what’s coming even before he says, tonelessly, “Madam President, I need you to come with me.”

“I don’t think I will.” She says, and brushes past him. She’s hardly going to make it easy. “I have a meeting with the High Council about now.”

“If you won’t, I have the authority to arrest you.” He says, his voice pitched higher than it needs to be.

She freezes, realising the whole point of this is to make a scene, and that she’s playing straight into it. “Under who’s authority?” She asks, fighting to keep her voice cool and low. “I’m your President.” 

 “Then consider yourself impeached.” Darkel says, walking out from where she’d been waiting, presumably, purely to gloat.

“On what grounds?”

Darkel smiles, every bit the cat who’d got the cream. “ _Murder_.”

 

*

 

The Presidency was still good for some things- the Chancellery Guard couldn’t hold her against her will, Darkel had just been trying to make a scene. Since Gallifreyan law was ancient and dysfunctional, murder wasn’t actually grounds for impeachment.

There was some debate over whether the existence of the post of Lord Burner meant it was legal for the President to kill, and the prevailing legal opinion seemed to be that she _could_ , but only if she got someone else to do it for her, which was just about the most ridiculous thing she’d heard all week, and the High Council had voted to allow Darkel’s reason for impeachment.

Romana strides into Narvin’s office running on unbridled anger.  _Time was hers, every second of it._  She quashes the invasive thought, grabbing Narvin by the collar and pinning him against the wall, surprising them both.

“ _Madam President_!” he gasps, and then, when he realises she isn’t about to let him go, yelps, “This isn’t legal!”

She drops him, stepping back, somewhat scared of her own actions, but then she remembers why she’d came and the anger rises again, burying reason under a haze of red.

“You couldn’t help yourself, could you? I bet you went crying off to Darkel the second I went back to my rooms. Don’t think I haven’t seen you two conspiring together like rats.” She snarls, hands curling into fists. “We were both in a place we shouldn’t have been, how do I know you didn’t kill Andred? You’ve been waiting for a chance to get rid of me from the start!”

He stares at her blankly for a moment. “You think I’m capable of staging that? All to what, convince you you’re mad? You’re not actually the centre of everyone’s Universe, Madam President.”

“It makes about as much sense as your interpretation of events.” She says, stiffly.

“You’re delusional, paranoid, and you’re my _President_. A President that can be controlled by a malevolent spirit to the point of  _murder_ is a danger to the whole planet.” He says, somehow managing to keep a grip on his temper. “If you really want what’s best for Gallifrey why can’t you see that? Are you too blinded by your pride? Or by Pandora?”

His logic were hard to argue with, so she didn’t try. “I’m the best thing for Gallifrey, can’t you see? If I’m impeached, Darkel will become President, she’ll drag us back to the Old Times and the Universe will leave us behind. What’s the life of one man compared to that?”

“You really are delusional.” Narvin says, dismissively, as he walks to the door, apparently fleeing his own office. “You know, Braxiatel seemed to think you genuinely cared for the planet. I was almost starting to believe him.”

“I do.” She hisses.

“He’s wrong. You care for power, just like everyone else around here.”

 

*

 

The hardest part of the first day of her trial, is hearing Leela shout, “Romana would not do this! This is another of Darkel’s tricks, do not fall for it!”

“Restrain yourself, savage, or I’ll happily have the guards escort you to a holding cell until you learn how to behave in civilised society.” Says an all too familiar voice.

Romana whips around to find Darkel sitting on the bench and all her thoughts of Leela vanish. “ _You_ can’t possibly judge my case!”

Darkel smiles, her face full of false innocence. “Why ever not?”

“You’re going to run for President the moment you get rid of me, surely anyone can see you’re biased!”

“This unit requests that you recuse yourself due to the documented conflict of interest.” Says K-9. She’d appointed him as her lawyer since it seemed she couldn’t trust anyone, not even herself. Robots, at least, were immune to ambition and could store all one hundred volumes of Gallifreyan law in their hard drive.

Darkel’s smile doesn’t falter. “No.”

Romana fights to control her anger, it wouldn’t get her anywhere in the legal system, and says, through gritted teeth, “This is an obvious conflict of interest, Darkel, even you must see that. This would constitute a deep violation of my right to a fair trial.”

“Kindly remember to address me as High Inquisitor in this court,  _Madam President,_ or I’ll hold you in contempt. I know what I’m doing.”

Darkel would happily impeach her and have her thrown in prison with even the slightest evidence and she’d likely end up with the authority to have her dispersed before she could even lodge an appeal. She looks to K-9, waiting for him to find some long-forgotten statute she could use.

Instead, Narvin stands. “If I remember the clause correctly, in cases of heinous crimes the High Council can decide whether there is sufficient conflict of interest to force an Inquisitor to recuse themselves.”

Romana looks up in surprise. Whose side was Narvin on? If he didn’t pick quickly, he’d be an enemy of both sides.

Darkel seemed to be thinking similarly, glaring at her ally. “That would mean she could vote on her own behalf! She could veto! It’s against the spirit of the law to enable the defendant herself to make the decision.”

Romana smiles. “Surely, Inquisitor,  _you_  wouldn’t advocate to go against the _word_ of the law?”

Darkel’s jaw clenches and she falls silent for several microspans. “Fine. I order a day’s recess a new judge is appointed. I hereby recuse myself and resign my post as High Inquisitor.” She walks over to the other side of the room, stopping in front of Valyes. “Valyes, I accept your job offer for Coronet Prosecutor.”

Valyes blinks. “Ah yes, congratulations. Er, I assign you as lead prosecutor in the case against Romanadvoratrelundar.”

With that drama over, Darkel smirks as she passes by Romana. “See you in court, Madam President. Enjoy that title why you still can.”

Romana sighs, watching the courtroom clear. It could have gone worse, really. She stiffens, noticing Leela walking towards her.

“Romana, why are you avoiding me?” asks Leela. “I already said I do not believe their lies, you have nothing to fear.”

Romana shifts uncomfortably. “I’m just tired, Leela. I have to focus on the trial.”

“Very well.” Leela frowns but doesn’t push, afraid of what she might find. “I will clear your name when I track down Andred’s true killer.”

“Yeah.” Says Romana, forcing herself not to flinch away. “I hope you do.”

 

* 

 

The new judge, Liviacaralis, was too newly appointed to have yet become deeply embroiled in the politics of the panopticon, and thus was as close to impartial as Romana was going to get.

“On behalf of my mistress, I submit an application for dismissal of the charges.” Says K-9.

“On what grounds?”

“The case is entirely based on the statement of the Coordinator of the CIA who has a well-documented grudge against my mistress for passing laws that interfere with the CIA.”

“Is everyone here out to get you?” asks Darkel sweetly. “You do seem to be convinced that the whole planet is out to persecute the  _President_. Do I sense the beginnings of paranoia?”

“Councillor, please restrain yourself to relevant questions.” warned Livia. “Lady President, what reason would Coordinator Narvin have to lie?”

“He could have killed Andred and then accused me to cover it up. The man did serve as one of his most trusted agents before he was revealed as an imposter and Narvin strikes me as someone who doesn’t take kindly to being fooled.”

“Do you have any evidence to support this?”

“He had opportunity, motive, and means, just as I had. If the evidence points to both of us equally you can hardly justify persecuting me with no additional evidence, that would point to gross bias on Darkel’s part.” She glances at Darkel. “Have you even questioned him?”

“That’s irrelevant!”

“That’s true but I’m inclined to believe the Lady President has a point.” she said, standing up. “You have half a span to submit evidence that supports the theory that she committed the crime or to bring the same charges against Coordinator Narvin, otherwise I’ll stop the process of impeachment and dismiss the charges. Court adjourned.” 

 

*

 

“Is this your revenge, Madam President?”

Romana carries on walking, not sparing him a glance. “It’s not revenge. I honestly don’t remember anything until you talked to me, it’s a plausible theory.”

“If I murdered someone, I wouldn’t hang around the crime scene. I certainly wouldn’t bring attention to myself by waking up the only witness.” He shakes his head. “I didn’t do it. I’m not the one who refuses to acknowledge a dangerous tyrant can get into their head.”

“You’re the one who couldn’t sleep because of Pandora. How is that not letting her into your head?”

“Look, I’d offer to prove it if you hadn’t taken away the mindprobes!”

“How convenient.” She says, looking away from him dismissively.

“I really would do it, if you amended the law.”

She raises an eyebrow. “So you could get your torture tool back while you’re at it?”

“That would be an added bonus,” Narvin allows, “but I don’t think it’ll be necessary. Darkel doesn’t seem worried.” He hesitates. “You wouldn’t have ever turned yourself in, would you?”

“No.” She turns the corner for her office, walking away from Narvin and his uncomfortable truths.

 

*

 

“I see you haven’t charged Coordinator Narvin, Councillor.” Says Livia.

“He has committed no crime.” Says Darkel, radiating smugness. “If I might submit a recording made by Commentator Antimon I’m sure that will clear Narvin of any wrongdoing.”

“Please do.”

A holographic recording fills the courtroom, replaying Andred’s death. A figure who was clearly Romana steps out of the shadows.

Romana swallows, forcing herself to keep watching, looking for a detail that wasn’t right, some sign that it was all an elaborate set up but she’d known the truth for a long time. Pandora was in her mind.

“What do you have to say to that, Madam President? Going to change your plea?”

“Councillor, er, K-9?” prompts Livia.

Romana stares at the floor for a moment, taking great care not to catch Leela’s eye, before nodding to K-9.

“Mistress pleads not guilty by reason of loss of control due to mental possession.”

“That’s quite a turn around,” comments Darkel, “a microspan ago you were claiming to be completely innocent.”

“Care to expand further on that, Lady President?” asks Livia.

Romana lifts her head up. “Many can testify to the fact that Pandora has been targeting me, as well as other Time Lords, and has previously tried to materialise through me. I had no control over my actions that night and it’s not murder without intent. I’d advise you to charge Pandora instead but it is rather hard to prosecute the dead and bodiless.” The words are emotionless, sounding recited, though she hadn’t thought to prepare any.

“The defence has precedence.” Shrugs Livia. “I’ll allow it.” She looks down to Darkel. “Councillor, do you still have a case to fight?”

“Oh, certainly, Inquisitor.” Darkel purrs. “By your own admission you lost control that night,  _Madam President_. Does that not make you a danger to Gallifrey? How can you possibly continue as head of state when, for all we know, you’re _completely_ under the control of a mad tyrant? I hereby charge Madam President Romanadvoratrelundar with High Treason.”

A murmur fills the courtroom and Romana stills, filled with overwhelming fear. “You can’t do that! I haven’t committed any crime against Gallifrey!”

“Trying to cover up the fact that you’re not fit for office _is_ a crime against Gallifrey.”

“She’s right.” Says Livia. “You can raise your objections tomorrow, Lady President.”

Those present slowly filter out of the courtroom but Romana stays, locked in indecision. A shadow appears over her and Romana looks up, unsurprised to find Leela. There was something wild and harsh in her eyes and she flinches away from it.

“You lied.”

“Not— I didn’t know for certain—“, Romana begins but even though Leela wasn’t at all telepathic and couldn’t possibly be projecting, she almost feels her pain and anger. She bows her head. Leela was hurt and it was all her fault. “Yes. Yes, I did. I killed Andred.”

Leela shrinks back, her hand falling from her knife to her side. Her anger was gone, leaving her hollow and empty.

“What will you do?”  

“I will find out who killed my students and K-9; I do not trust your world to give the innocent justice. Then I will leave. There is nothing left for me on this world.” Leela says, with a glare that dares to her protest.

Knowing there was no holiday that would fix things between them, Romana nodded, turning away. “Look into Antimon. I find it suspicious how he’s always able to get good footage and he was the only reporter who happened to be at the Academy during the attack. It might not have been a coincidence.”

 Leela nods and turns away.

 

*

 

Narvin doesn’t look up from his pile of terribly unimportant paperwork. “I hope you’re not here to try and stab me again, savage.”

“It was  _one time,_  Narvin.” Says Leela, annoyed that she hadn’t managed to sneak up on him for once.

“It only takes two to kill a Time Lord.” He shrugs. “What brings you to the hallowed halls of the CIA? I’d heard you were leaving. I can assure you, you won’t be missed.”

She scowls, before forcing out her next words. “I need your help.”

He raises an eyebrow. “That’s a first. I’m rather busy, if you hadn’t noticed.”

“It is to do with the attack on the Academy. I think I have found my prey.”

Narvin pauses his work. “Who?”

“Antimon, the cameraman. I looked into him. He stinks of corruption.”

“Has the dog been teaching you big words?”

Leela’s hand inches towards her knife. “Are you that eager to feel the touch of my blade?”

Narvin sighs, stepping away from his desk. “What evidence do you have?”

“Before the attack on the Academy, Darkel did him a lot of favours. And after he showed the tape of Andred’s death, he leaked High Council secrets that Darkel would have known.”

Narvin frowns for a moment, but then nods. “It’s circumstantial at best but I can send some agents to search his place.”

“Do you not need hard evidence? That is what the guards told me.”

“The CIA isn’t subject to as many rules and most of them are thanks to the current Lady President.” Narvin says. “In the meanwhile, I think I’ll pay him a visit myself.”

Leela frowns. “Since when do you care about the deaths of those who are not Time Lords?”

“He disturbed the peace. I’m not the villain you think me to be, I don’t advocate murder, I just pointed out that letting in a load of aliens that would do anything to gain power over time was a security risk. And I was right, wasn’t I?”

“Andred was one of your kind and he was a Free Time agent. You did not see that security risk when he was right under your nose.” Says Leela. “I will come with you. I will see this hunt through to its end.”

 

*

 

“Antimon.”

“What do you want, Coordinator?” he asks, eyes drifting over Leela as if she weren’t present.

“You.” Says Leela, taking great satisfaction in the word. “We have _questions_.”

Antimon’s gaze flicks to Leela for a moment and what he finds in her eyes sends him running down the corridor.

“Go the other way and cut him off!” shouts Narvin, as he gives chase.

“I’ll cut him open for what he did!”

“We need the man alive to name his co-conspirators!” says Narvin, but his words are lost in the space between them and the sound of footsteps.

Leela turns the corner, just ahead of both of them, and so does Antimon, throwing something.

The ground beneath Narvin rips itself apart, and everything was chaos and screaming, leaving him on the floor, his body burning with pain.

He manages to raise his head, coughing, the dust from the debris almost suffocating him, in time to see Antimon shriek and stumble, Leela’s knife embedded in his back.

Narvin pushes himself up, biting back a whimper as every bone in his body protests. “Get back!”

Leela throws herself back just in time to avoid the regeneration energy that bursts out of him, bright and burning. She watches, every inch the predator, until the energy fades, pouncing on him before he could begin to reorient himself.

Narvin blinks, trying to get his vision to focus. “I have no doubt the bomb he threw will be a match for the ones detonated at the Academy. He’ll be rotting in prison for the rest of his lives, there’s no need for further vengeance, Leela.”

“I know.” Says Leela. “I want to kill him anyway, but I will take him to your cells.”

“That’s my job,” he protests, “not yours.”

“I do not have a job. Romana does not need defending, and if she does, she can find a new bodyguard.” Says Leela.  “But you will not take Antimon. You need to go to the medics, Narvin.”

“I’m fine.” He says, not at all convincingly. “I’ve been in enough similar situations to know I don’t have a concussion.”

“You are not fine, you are bleeding. I will drag you there if I have to.”

“Alright.” He mumbles, sitting up and trying to ignore the dizziness, beginning to reconsider his point about the concussion. “It would rather ruin my reputation if you marched me in there at knifepoint.”

 

*

 

Narvin blinks, struggling to sit up as soon as he realised he was lying down, but found it difficult to move. “Leela? You’re still here? What happened?”

“You passed out. The medics say you will be fine if you `take it easy`. It was a good hunt, was it not?”

He gives up, lying back on the hospital bed. “I suppose. We caught the fugitive which was the purpose of the operation.”

“It is not all about the kill.” Leela makes a face. “I did not even get to kill him, not truly. Do you not enjoy the thrill of the chase?”

“Enjoy it? Not really. I prefer not being in constant mortal peril. I tolerate it because it needs to be done.”

Leela nods, looking thoughtful. After a microspan of silence she asked, “How can Romana still be President when she killed someone?”  

“There isn’t actually anything saying that a President should be removed for murder, it’s technically legal for a President to assassinate.”

“So she may have killed others in this way? Using another as a weapon is the way of a coward.”    

Narvin shrugs. “It’s impossible to say whether there’s even a Lord Burner anymore, you’d only know if you were the unlucky one. But it doesn’t seem like her style.”

“I do not know if that is true.” Muses Leela, sadly. “I thought I knew her but I do not, I know only the face she wears and you Time Lords have many.”

“If it bothers you, I wouldn’t worry. Darkel’s going to get a vote of no confidence, no doubt.”

“I do not want Darkel to be President.”

“There aren’t any other options. Few are willing to risk getting into a battle with Darkel. She has no qualms with fighting dirty.”

“They are cowards.” Dismisses Leela.

“Not everyone’s always spoiling for a fight.” He shrugs. “It doesn’t make them cowards.”

“You are not a coward.”

He blinks. “Is that a _compliment_?”

“It is the truth. I do not like you or your words but you are not a coward. You would be a better President than Darkel, but that is not hard.” 

“Well, you can’t vote, thank Rassilon. I wouldn’t take the Presidency if you put a knife to my throat.”

“I do not know if I believe you. I have yet to see a Time Lord that does not thirst for power.”

“Well, you’ve mostly met Prydonians.” Says Narvin. “And your friend, the Doctor, ran from power every time it was forced on him.”

“He may be a Time Lord by blood and biology, but there is a reason he left your world. Why do you not want power?”

“I’m not a politician.” He says, simply. “I’m a spy, first and foremost.”

“But you are the leader of your spies.” Says Leela, puzzled. “And you are part of the High Council, I have seen you in meetings. Does that not make you a politician?”

“I hope it doesn’t.”

 

* 

 

“Madam President Romana knew that Pandora was capable of controlling her.” Begins Darkel. “She knowingly endangered not only everyone in close proximity to her, but the entire planet. Additionally, as she conspired with Pandora- a convicted tyrant- she committed High Treason.”

“I talked to her twice at the most,  _I_  wasn’t conspiring.” She mutters belligerently.

“You will have your chance to talk, Lady President, in the meantime _be quiet_.” Hisses Livia, having completely lost her patience after sitting through several hours of them sniping at each other. “Darkel, you have evidence to support this, I trust?”

“I do, Inquisitor. I call Coordinator Narvin to the stand.”

Romana stiffens as Narvin walked to the seat, she’d completely forgotten what he’d witnessed.

“Have you ever seen the defendant communicating with Pandora?”

“Yes.” Says Narvin, his voice a practiced neutral.

“What did you do?”

“I advised her that it was dangerous. She wouldn’t listen to me. In fact, she ordered me not to interfere.”  

“No further questions.”

Romana stood. Since it was a new trial she’d decided to represent herself. K-9, however impeccable his memory was, wasn’t too good at cross-examining. “Coordinator, if you truly believed there to be danger, weren’t you honour bound to act on it?”

“My superior,  _you_ , ordered me not to.”

 

“So you’d do whatever I said? Would you jump off a bridge if I  _ordered_ you to?”

“How is this relevant, Inquisitor?” interjects Darkel.

“Get to the point, Lady President.”

Romana pauses, letting Narvin squirm for a moment. “Would you endanger Gallifrey if I asked you to?”

Narvin stares back at her for several moments, his expression kept carefully blank. “No.”

“Then did you foresee danger? I’ll remind you, you’re under oath.”

“Yes, I did.” He swallows. “But Darkel advised me to follow your orders.”

Romana smiles, suspecting Narvin had just fallen out of her favour, permanently. “No further questions”

 

*

 

First, he’d turned her in, then he’d helped her at the first trial, then he’d continued cooperating with Darkel until he’d incriminated at her at the last microspan. Narvin’s actions made no sense, whatever way you looked at it. Though Braxiatel-esque masterplans didn’t seem quite his style, she had to know what kind of game he was playing.

Narvin sighs as she practically ambushed his exit from the courtroom. “What do you want, Madam President?”

“To know whose side you’re on.”

“No one’s.” he says, bored by the question.

“You can’t be impartial. If you’re trying to stay on the fence you’re not trying very hard. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your attempts at sabotage. Antimon got CIA codes from Darkel, I  _wonder_  who could have told her those.”

For a moment, he looks uneasy at the accusation. “I’m on the side of the truth, Madam President. Was one word of what I said a lie? Now, leave me alone before I report you for witness tampering.”

 

 

*

                    

Romana hesitates outside the door, her hand hovering the biodata pad. She didn’t need telepathy to know that Leela had no wish to see her but she couldn’t let her leave Gallifrey with their last words said out of animosity and bitterness.

“I do not need mind tricks to know when someone is there.”

That, at least, solves dilemma. She walks in to find Leela sitting on her bed, turned away from her.

“Leela.” She says, struggling to sound casual. “Congratulations on apprehending Antimon.”

“I have no words left to say to you.” She says, but after a few moments of silence, she turns around. “Or perhaps I do. What would you have done, if Narvin had found you standing over my body?”

Romana flinches at the thought and grabs Leela’s hand, surprising them both. “That _never_ would have happened. Believe me, Leela, I would never hurt you.”

“Then you truly are Andred’s murderer.” Says Leela, meeting her eyes. “I heard what you said in Court but I do not know if I can believe it. Either you have no control over yourself and will kill any Pandora wishes you to, or you have a choice. You cannot have it both ways, Romana.”

Leela’s words had a truth in them, even if it was one she didn’t want to admit to. Pandora had every reason to want Leela’s death- she’d been betrayed by her own alien bodyguard and if anything was going to completely unhinge her, Leela’s murder would be a good place to start.

Pandora had had reasons to want Andred dead too, but so had she.

She lets go of Leela’s hands. “I do remember some things about that night. I think Andred had a change of hearts, before he was attacked. He did the right thing, the good thing, and that’s why I— why Pandora killed him.”

Leela steps away from Romana, which is wrong itself, she not meant to be the one who withdraws. Her anger was gone but her sadness was sharp and edged in bitterness. “I do not think I would have taken him as a mate again, even if he returned to me a lion, but we could have been friends.”

“I’m sorry to have taken that away from you.”

“Is that all you are sorry for?” asks Leela, some of her usual fire coming back into her. “For how this affects  _me?_ You are the person you used to be again, the one who let Pandora into her mind, the one who thought me lesser because it is human blood that runs through my veins.”

 

“I’m just trying to keep my world together, Leela!” Romana steps closer, practically begging her to understand, to absolve her, “I just wanted to change things, to make Gallifrey better, to make it  _kinder_  to those that are different. Was that really such a bad thing?”

“I know you mean well,” says Leela, “but that is not enough. You will destroy this world with your good intentions.”

 

*

 

“I call Romanadvoratrelundar to the stand.”

Romana obeys, careful to keep her emotions and body language neutral. It wouldn’t do to let Darkel know that she had a plan.

“How many times have you conversed with Pandora?”

“I couldn’t give you an exact figure.”

“So you’ve done it too many times to remember.” nods Darkel, like that was a confession in itself. “What did you do after you killed Andred?”

“I returned to my quarters and finished sleeping.” Romana stands with a smug smile. “And with that, I’m afraid you’ll have to declare this a mistrial.”

 “On what grounds?” demands Darkel.

“I’m still charged with the murder of Andred, which is an ongoing criminal trial. You forced me to incriminate myself.”

Darkel jumps to her feet, seething, already shouting, “She’s using a legal technicality to absolve herself of heinous crimes! You can’t possibly allow this, Inquisitor!”

“I’d agree, but it was you who called her as a witness, Darkel.” Said Livia. “You’ll have to charge her again and start it all over.”

Darkel was not brimming with patience. She snarls, “I drop the criminal charges of High Treason. But I’m convening an emergency session of the High Council to vote on whether recent events have irrevocably affected her ability to carry out the duties of the Presidency.”

Romana leaves the court immediately, ignoring the stares. Time was running out.

 

*

 

Romana paces up and down her office. Gallifrey was out of her control and she knows, deep down, that she didn’t have full control of herself anymore. How could she ever be sure that her thoughts were her own, her actions were her own?

If this was going to happen it was going to be her  _choice._

“K-9, connect to the Matrix.”

“Pandora still occupies the Matrix partition.” Chirps K-9.” It is unsafe, Mistress.”

“That’s exactly who I need to speak to.”

“Mistress-“K-9’s protests were quickly drowned out by the whirring of his mechanical insides as Romana places the Coronet of Rassilon on his head. “YOU ARE READY, MY IMPERIATRIX?”

 

*

 

The motion of no confidence passed, to no one’s surprise.

“I, Darkelatraquistahastrad of House Jurisprudence, enter my candidacy.”

Romana’s fists clench. She steps forward and says the only thing she can. “I, Romanadvoratrelundar of House Heartshaven, enter my candidacy.”

 

*

 

“You’re not going to win.” Says Narvin. “You can’t possibly think you’re going to win.”

“I don’t.”

“So what are you still doing here? As soon as Darkel has power she’ll have you executed.”

“What else am I meant to do?” asks Romana, the question almost genuine.

“Take a TARDIS? Go and be a renegade again and make my life harder? It’s not what most failed politicians do, sure, but the option of running back to your House to live in quiet luxury isn’t really open to you.”

“I can’t. I can’t leave Gallifrey.” She shakes her head. “I started this, I have to finish it.”

“Even if it kills you?”

She nods.

He looks at her with something almost approaching respect. “I didn’t want this.”

“Didn’t you?”

“I suppose I did, once. You’re right about me conspiring with Darkel, but I regret it with both my hearts. She doesn’t have Gallifrey’s best interests anywhere near hers, I see that now. I’m not convinced you do, mind, Madam President.”

“I’m not in office anymore, Narvin. You don’t have to call me that.”

He was silent for a moment. Then, he said, with the air of someone admitting a deep secret, “I know.”

 

*

 

She knew who the people had chosen. She didn’t need to see the Matrix’s results to know that in any second, Darkel would be President. They were  _wrong_.

“Stop.” She says, her voice loud enough to freeze the room.

“What is it?” snaps Darkel. “If you want to withdraw to save face, be my guest.”

She ignores her, taking the coronet off of K-9’s head and placing it on her own. “As is my right, as is stated in the ancient edicts of the Old Time, I Romanadvoratrelundar claim the title that is rightfully mine- Imperiatrix of Gallifrey and declare my role as such to begin immediately. I am unimpeachable!”

Whatever the reaction to her words had been, Romana never found out- Pandora’s mind was all consuming. It was all storm and fire, obsessed with empires she’d made and couldn’t remember, and drowning in ambition.

Instinctively, she fights against it, but her own past clings to her, and her mind’s collapsing under the strain.

“You lied to me. You said there’d always be a place for me at your side, that you did not have many faces.” Says a voice. By the time she registers it as Leela’s, Leela’s blade is already burying itself in her chest.

An infinite amount of alternate realities break and shatter around her. She catches glimpses of other Gallifeys, one where she doesn’t die; one where Braxiatel kills her as a student; one where she rules as Imperiatrix, but there’s no Gallifrey where Pandora doesn’t plague her.

_Time was hers, every second of it._

Dying hurts more than it had the first time, but this time there’s no mechanism of Brax’s to save her, no box to shove Pandora into. Instead, the coronet clings tightly around her head, strengthening Pandora’s presence with her every breath.

Soon, the golden glow of regeneration surrounds her, but it doesn’t ease the pain, only exacerbates it, changing her body cell by cell while she waited for Leela to deal the second blow.

She feels something else. Someone else, an echo of the person she had once been, after Pandora had distorted her, remade her in her own image. Pandora had found another body, one that she could use to wreak havoc on Gallifrey, but right now, Romana still has a _choice_.

_Let go of me!_

*

 

Leela’s heart twists inside her as Romana crumples to the floor, the golden light dimming around her like a dying sunset.

What was wrong with her? Why wasn’t she regenerating?

The glow faded to nothing, and still her face didn’t change, and Leela knows it won’t ever change again. The last person in the world that she loves is dead at her feet, and it’s her fault.

The stunned silence only holds so long. Darkel recovers enough to shout, “Arrest her! She killed the President!”

Her words were meaningless. Romana was not regenerating.

 “Darkel, you just spent the past week impeaching her.” Says Narvin, scepticism overtaking his shock.

“The law’s the law, Narvin, I am merely enforcing it.”

“She wasn’t even President when Leela killed her.”

“Either way, since my opponent has so unfortunately died, I’m President by default.” Snaps Darkel. “Arrest her.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.” says Narvin. “I think a second election is called for, Darkel.”

“On what grounds?”                                  

“Your opponent was assassinated, that’s a valid reason for the election to be considered void.” His tone is devious. “The law’s the law, Councillor, I’m merely enforcing it.”

“Fine.” Snarls Darkel. “I’ll win anyway, the people have already chosen me once, who’s going to stand against me? You, Coordinator?”

“You know, actually, I think I will.”

Leela doesn’t move as Narvin walks over. She shakes Romana’s body but it stubbornly refused to change. “Narvin, why does she not regenerate? I only stabbed her once. She has many faces left to use.”

“Regeneration is a sensitive process.” Says Narvin, his words are blunt, but Leela expects no less. “Having Pandora trying to materialise through her probably affected it.”

“This was not revenge, Narvin. Please believe me? It was not for Andred. She was not herself, I thought changing her might fix it.” She finally pulls her gaze off the body. “I do not understand. I do not understand any of your kind. Was this all because of Pandora?”

“Perhaps.” Narvin says, and offers no more, merely helping her to her feet.

She hesitates. “Do you Time Lords have any other tricks to cheat death?”

“Her mind should have uploaded to the APC net; you can talk to her sometime. I imagine she’ll forgive you, if you think that will help. But for now, I do have to arrest you. President or not, murder is still a crime.”

She nods, too numb to object as he takes her knife from her. “Narvin are you sure you’re not possessed? You are being nice.”

“Very funny.” He guides her out of the panopticon, down many corridors until they reach one full of cells. They are cold and stink of death, but Leela is too deep in dazed thoughts to care.

An icy feeling sets over her, similar to the what she’d felt in the catacombs, when she’d first found Pandora and everything had started to go so horribly wrong. She understands now, why so many races hunger for power over time, but there is no TARDIS that could fix it and Romana would not thank her for creating paradox.

Narvin is guiding her to a cell when she stops, the movement sudden and unyielding. “I have to see K-9.”

“Why?”

“Her mind has been uploaded to the Matrix?”

“Yes.” nods Narvin.

“Then they have uploaded Pandora too!”

Narvin smiles. The smile is  _wrong_ , Leela can feel it, everything about this Narvin is wrong.

“You!” she reaches for the knife that was no longer there, wanting nothing more than to avenge the death of both her loves. “Narvin would never run for President, he hates politicians!”

“I was wondering if you’d notice.” Says Pandora, levelling the staser at her. “But no matter. Who’s going to investigate the death of an alien resisting arrest?”

She leaps at Pandora, pure rage, nails tearing into her flesh, as if her anger could turn them into claws. Pandora discharges the staser, the bolt of energy directed at her stomach.

The last thing Leela sees before she hit the floor is a flicker of the real Narvin, face contorted in horror at what he’d done.

 

 


End file.
